Tuesday April 24, 2007
Three new offenders hit most wanted website
CEOP’s Most Wanted website has already called ‘time’ on five missing sex offenders - and now it could mean the end of the road for another three.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre’s Most Wanted website has led to the arrest of five missing offenders in just five months.
All five were wanted for failing to notify and were tracked down after public sightings were reported both in the UK and abroad.
On the back of this success, police are now asking for the public’s help in finding three offenders who are new to the site.
Greater Manchester Police is looking to locate Andrew Jeremy Eden. Eden, aged 48, was last seen in Rochdale. He is known to spend time in the Bolton area and recent intelligence suggests he may also have visited Central America.
Merseyside Police is seeking support in its search for Stephen Lionel Gordon. The 46 year old was last registered in North Liverpool.
Nottinghamshire Police want to track down Daniel Mark Joslin. Joslin is 25 years old and is known to have spent time in Nottingham, Worcestershire, Birmingham, London, South Wales, Newcastle, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire and Northern Ireland.
Eden, Gordon and Joslin are sought for failing to comply with notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Their photographs and details have been posted on the Most Wanted site at www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted.
www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted has received extensive support since it went live last November, netting in excess of twelve million hits from people in 130 different countries.
Most Wanted is going from strength to strength,” explains Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre CEO, Jim Gamble. “It was designed in association with Crimestoppers to engage with the public to help find individuals who mistakenly believe they can skip registration and hide from the authorities.
Five months on, twelve million hits and five located offenders is proof it is achieving just that. We have been overwhelmed by the strength of support we have received, not just in the UK but throughout Europe.
This initiative demonstrates the positive impact of an initiative which enables members of the public to work alongside the police in a responsible approach to tracking missing offenders.
Our success to date is a credit to the people who have taken the time to visit our site and look at the details posted there. Those who recognised offenders did not take action themselves, but instead made a report to the local police force or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. These reports have been vital in helping to bring offenders back under management and assisting the authorities in protecting our communities from harm.
Three offenders make their debut on Most Wanted today. I’d urge people to go online and take a look at them. If you have information about their whereabouts, please come forward and tell us what you know.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre continues to appeal for information about outstanding offenders, John Murrell, Joshua Karney and Peter Wheatherley. They are sought for failing to comply with notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Murrell was last seen in the Worcestershire area. He is known to have links with Belfast, Aberystwyth and Blackpool.
Weatherley is missing from the South Yorkshire area but is known to have links in the north of England. Intelligence also indicates that he could be in Spain, or elsewhere in Europe.
Karney has connections in the Lancashire area but is known to travel throughout the United Kingdom.
Further information and photographs can been found at www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted
Ends
Notes to Editors
Members of the public can safely help locate ‘missing’ offenders by viewing photos and descriptions via the CEOP and Crimestoppers websites. If they recognise someone they are urged to contact the local police force, or if they wish to remain anonymous they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Most Wanted was built in association with the independent charity Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers provide the 0800 555 111 number which enables people to give information about crime anonymously without fear of reprisals.
This initiative forms a key element of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre’s approach to tracking and bringing offenders to account. All individuals published on the site have previously been convicted for an offence for which they have already served punishment within the criminal justice system. They are sought because they have subsequently failed to fulfil their requirements as part of their placement on the Sex Offenders Register. This is an arrestable offence, with a punishment of up to five years imprisonment.
Details of previous offences will not be disclosed to the media for the reasons stated above.
Photographs of offenders will only be published with the consent of the local police force. Individual forces are under no obligation to publish their offenders on the Most Wanted site. Further offenders will be considered for inclusion on the ‘Most Wanted’ site in consultation with local police forces.
The decision to publish the details of all offenders detailed on the site has been risk assessed by the CEOP Centre and relevant local forces.
The CEOP Centre works in both online and offline environments to protect children from sexual exploitation. Full information on all areas of work as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting can be found at www.ceop.gov.uk.
The organisation is affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and powers are derived from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It is based in Pimlico, London with developing outreach channels to all areas of both domestic and international policing as well as industry and specialist support and educational faculties.
For further information please contact Clive Michel, Sarah Shakespeare or Miriam Rich at The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre on 0870 000 3434 or 0207 238 2312.